This year will see the expected renewal of top posts in NATO and, after the European Parliament elections, also in the European Union. These positions are traditionally filled by candidates from the wealthy countries of Western and Southern Europe, and to a lesser extent Northern Europe. The countries of Eastern and Central Europe have so far, even after years of membership, still been overlooked. Poland is the only country from the region to have been awarded one of the bloc’s senior positions in the past with Donald Tusk and Jerzy Buzek leading the European Council and European Parliament respectively. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, spoke about the selections of candidates for Deník N.
Show moreThe new European Defence Industrial Strategy primarily responds to the Ukrainian need for ammunition supplies due to Russian invasion. It includes measures such as support for collective procurement of defense systems, focus on the involvement of European firms in public tenders, support for national budgets in transitioning to new weapon systems, and the development of stronger ties with Ukraine and NATO. Zuzana Krulichová, a researcher specializing in European defense policy at EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the funding of the new strategy for Euractiv.
Show moreThe G7 countries are considering the transfer of frozen Russian financial assets to Ukraine. This sum, ranging between $200 and $300 billion, could provide significant support to Kiev. However, such move would be unprecedented and raises questions about compliance with international law and concerns about creating a dangerous template. Martin Vokálek, executive director of the EUROPEUM Institute, spoke on the topic for Slovakian Radio RTVS.
Show moreFrench President Emmanuel Macron visited Prague on Tuesday, met with Czech President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and briefly visited the Czech-French Nuclear Forum. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of the EUROPEUM Institute, discussed the programme of the state visit and its impact on the Czech Republic in an interview for TN.cz.
Show moreThe Czech Republic has vast reserves of lithium, a crucial resource for manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles. However, it lags behind in other aspects of the battery supply chain, such as production and recycling. And yet, these key industry sectors could potentially help in saving the local automotive industry. Jonathan Lyons, an analyst at the EUROPEUM Institute, further explored this issue and the potential benefits of lithium for the Czech economy in an article for Hospodářské noviny.
Show moreFrench President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Prague to meet with Czech officials. The main topic of the discussion is the construction of a new block of the Dukovany nuclear power plant, which has drawn interest from both the French state company EDF and the Korean KHNP. Amongst the main topics is also support for Ukraine and the issue of new ammunition. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, spoke about Macron's visit for ČRo Plus.
Show moreViktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the current government's and opposition leader Andrej Babiš's stance on the migration pact for the newsletter Ředitelé Evropy of Hospodářské noviny.
Show moreThe EU Migration Pact has long been the subject of heated debate between the Czech government and the opposition. From the latter there are opinions that it is a monstrous agreement masking refugee quotas or fears that illegal migration will destroy the Czech Republic. But the government says it is a step in the right direction, despite the Czech Republic's abstention in the vote on the pact. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the change of their position for ČRo Plus.
Show moreIn the second debate of the third series of EU-Pacific Talks, organised by EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, the guests focused on the digital future. The focus was on the experiences of several countries, which provided valuable insights into their proactive approach to countering disinformation and their focus on cyber security. Read about what our guests discussed in a report written by Petra Pospíšilová, Office and Project Coordinator.
Show moreDifferences on key issues between the leaders of the Visegrad Four countries are now being widely discussed in the context of the ongoing summit in Prague. How the relations between the countries will develop, whether we are heading towards the disintegration of the V4 or whether this is an eternal partnership of reason, was analysed by Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director and Head of the Brussels Office, for the RTVS podcast Z prvej ruky.
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